U.S. Code » Title 17 » Chapter CHAPTER 12— COPYRIGHT PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

17 U.S.C. § 1202

Integrity of copyright management information

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(a)False Copyright Management Information.—No person shall knowingly and with the intent to induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal infringement—(1) provide copyright management information that is false, or(2) distribute or import for distribution copyright management information that is false.(b)Removal or Alteration of Copyright Management Information.—No person shall, without the authority of the copyright owner or the law—(1) intentionally remove or alter any copyright management information,(2) distribute or import for distribution copyright management information knowing that the copyright management information has been removed or altered without authority of the copyright owner or the law, or(3) distribute, import for distribution, or publicly perform works, copies of works, or phonorecords, knowing that copyright management information has been removed or altered without authority of the copyright owner or the law,knowing, or, with respect to civil remedies under section 1203, having reasonable grounds to know, that it will induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal an infringement of any right under this title.(c)Definition.—As used in this section, the term “copyright management information” means any of the following information conveyed in connection with copies or phonorecords of a work or performances or displays of a work, including in digital form, except that such term does not include any personally identifying information about a user of a work or of a copy, phonorecord, performance, or display of a work:(1) The title and other information identifying the work, including the information set forth on a notice of copyright.(2) The name of, and other identifying information about, the author of a work.(3) The name of, and other identifying information about, the copyright owner of the work, including the information set forth in a notice of copyright.(4) With the exception of public performances of works by radio and television broadcast stations, the name of, and other identifying information about, a performer whose performance is fixed in a work other than an audiovisual work.(5) With the exception of public performances of works by radio and television broadcast stations, in the case of an audiovisual work, the name of, and other identifying information about, a writer, performer, or director who is credited in the audiovisual work.(6) Terms and conditions for use of the work.(7) Identifying numbers or symbols referring to such information or links to such information.(8) Such other information as the Register of Copyrights may prescribe by regulation, except that the Register of Copyrights may not require the provision of any information concerning the user of a copyrighted work.(d)Law Enforcement, Intelligence, and Other Government Activities.—This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, information security, or intelligence activity of an officer, agent, or employee of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or a person acting pursuant to a contract with the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State. For purposes of this subsection, the term “information security” means activities carried out in order to identify and address the vulnerabilities of a government computer, computer system, or computer network.(e)Limitations on Liability.—(1)Analog transmissions.—In the case of an analog transmission, a person who is making transmissions in its capacity as a broadcast station, or as a cable system, or someone who provides programming to such station or system, shall not be liable for a violation of subsection (b) if—(A) avoiding the activity that constitutes such violation is not technically feasible or would create an undue financial hardship on such person; and(B) such person did not intend, by engaging in such activity, to induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal infringement of a right under this title.(2)Digital transmissions.—(A) If a digital transmission standard for the placement of copyright management information for a category of works is set in a voluntary, consensus standard-setting process involving a representative cross-section of broadcast stations or cable systems and copyright owners of a category of works that are intended for public performance by such stations or systems, a person identified in paragraph (1) shall not be liable for a violation of subsection (b) with respect to the particular copyright management information addressed by such standard if—(i) the placement of such information by someone other than such person is not in accordance with such standard; and(ii) the activity that constitutes such violation is not intended to induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal infringement of a right under this title.(B) Until a digital transmission standard has been set pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to the placement of copyright management information for a category of works, a person identified in paragraph (1) shall not be liable for a violation of subsection (b) with respect to such copyright management information, if the activity that constitutes such violation is not intended to induce, enable, facilitate, or conceal infringement of a right under this title, and if—(i) the transmission of such information by such person would result in a perceptible visual or aural degradation of the digital signal; or(ii) the transmission of such information by such person would conflict with—(I) an applicable government regulation relating to transmission of information in a digital signal;(II) an applicable industry-wide standard relating to the transmission of information in a digital signal that was adopted by a voluntary consensus standards body prior to the effective date of this chapter; or(III) an applicable industry-wide standard relating to the transmission of information in a digital signal that was adopted in a voluntary, consensus standards-setting process open to participation by a representative cross-section of broadcast stations or cable systems and copyright owners of a category of works that are intended for public performance by such stations or systems.(3)Definitions.—As used in this subsection—(A) the term “broadcast station” has the meaning given that term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153); and(B) the term “cable system” has the meaning given that term in section 602 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522).(Added Pub. L. 105–304, title I, § 103(a), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2872; amended Pub. L. 106–44, § 1(e), Aug. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 222.)Editorial NotesReferences in Text

The effective date of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (e)(2)(B)(ii)(II), is Oct. 28, 1998. See section 105 of Pub. L. 105–304, set out as an Effective Date of 1998 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.

Amendments

1999—Subsec. (e)(2)(B). Pub. L. 106–44 substituted “category of works” for “category or works” in introductory provisions.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 335 cases (189 in the last 5 years), 1998–2026 · leading case: Stevens v. Corelogic, Inc., 899 F.3d 666 (9th Cir. 2018).
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Stevens v. Corelogic, Inc., 899 F.3d 666 (9th Cir. 2018). · cites it 12× “In this action against CoreLogic, the Photographers allege that CoreLogic removed copyright management information from their photographs and distributed their photographs with the copyright management information removed, in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b)(1)-(3). We affirm…”
Mango v. Buzzfeed, Inc., 970 F.3d 167 (2d Cir. 2020). · cites it 7× “, for using one of his 21 photographs without crediting him in violation of the Digital Millennium 22 Copyright Act (“DMCA”), 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b)(3). The district court (Marrero, J.”
Friedman v. Live Nation Merch., Inc., 833 F.3d 1180 (9th Cir. 2016). · cites it 5× “§ 504 (c)(2); whether a jury could conclude that Live Nation knowingly removed copyright management information (“CMI”) from the photographs in violation of 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b); and whether Friedman can recover statutory damages awards measured by the number of retailers who…”
Michael Grecco Prods., Inc. v. Alamy, Inc., 372 F. Supp. 3d 131 (E.D.N.Y 2019). · cites it 10× “) According to Plaintiff, this runs afoul of 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (a), which prohibits, inter alia , the provision of false copyright management information ("CMI").”
Fischer v. Forrest, 286 F. Supp. 3d 590 (S.D. Ill. 2018). · cites it 4× “Fischer's Claim Under the DMCA Fischer next objects to the Report's recommendation that this Court grant summary judgment to Defendants on Fischer's claims under the DMCA, 17 U.S.C. § 1202 . Obj. at 6-8. Fischer argues that Brushy removed CMI in violation of § 1202 when, in…”
Energy Intelligence Grp, Inc. v. Kayne Ande, 948 F.3d 261 (5th Cir. 2020). · cites it 6× “EIG amended its complaint in October 2015 to add allegations that KA had altered Oil Daily’s “copyright management information” (“CMI”) in violation of the DMCA, 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b). KA’s answer to the operative complaint asserted various affirmative defenses, including that…”
IQ Grp., Ltd. v. Wiesner Publ'g, LLC, 409 F. Supp. 2d 587 (D.N.J. 2006). · cites it 15× “Wiesner filed a motion for summary judgment on these issues: 1) IQ is entitled to a maximum of one award of statutory damages for copyright infringement of the NSAC and Capital Care ads; and 2) IQ’s DMCA claims, for violation of 17 U.S.C. § 1202 , should be dismissed as a matter…”
Mango v. Buzzfeed, Inc., 356 F. Supp. 3d 368 (S.D. Ill. 2019). · cites it 4× “17 U.S.C. § 1202 (c). Pursuant to the DMCA: No person shall, without the authority of the copyright owner or the law -- (1) intentionally remove or alter any copyright management information, (2) distribute or import for distribution copyright management information knowing that…”
Pers. Keepsakes, Inc. v. Personalizationmall.com, Inc., 975 F. Supp. 2d 920 (N.D. Ill. 2013). · cites it 6× “17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b). The DMCA seeks to hamper copyright infringement in the digital age by protecting “copyright management information” (CMI) in various ways.”
Agence France Presse v. Morel, 769 F. Supp. 2d 295 (S.D.N.Y. 2011). · cites it 7× “, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), 17 U.S.C. § 1202 , and the Lanham Act, 15 U.”
Stephen F. Gordon v. Nextel Commc'ns & Mullen Advert., Inc., 345 F.3d 922 (6th Cir. 2003). · cites it 7× “The court also granted summary judgment as to Gordon’s 17 U.S.C. § 1202 claim of removal of the copyright notice on the basis that Gordon failed to present any evidence that defendants intentionally removed or altered the copyright information or that these defendants knew that…”
Michael Grecco Prods., Inc. v. Valuewalk, LLC, 345 F. Supp. 3d 482 (S.D. Ill. 2018). · cites it 5× “Digital Millennium Copyright Act Defendants move for summary judgment on the claim that Defendants violated provisions of 17 U.S.C. § 1202 (b), the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("the DMCA").”
Show all 335 citing cases →
— 17 U.S.C. § 1202(a) — 3 cases
Stevens v. Corelogic, Inc., 194 F. Supp. 3d 1046 (S.D. Cal. 2016).
Drauglis v. Kappa Map Grp., LLC, 128 F. Supp. 3d 46 (D.D.C. 2015).
Wareka (E.D. Cal. 2025).
— 17 U.S.C. § 1202(b) — 3 cases
Hong v. Recreational Equip. Inc (D. Idaho 2021).
Etrailer Corp. v. Unbeatablesale.com, Inc. (D.N.J. 2024).
Trombetta v. Novocin (S.D.N.Y. 2021).
— 17 U.S.C. § 1202(c) — 2 cases
Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corp., 77 F. Supp. 2d 1116 (C.D. Cal. 1999).
Trombetta v. Novocin (S.D.N.Y. 2021).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.